Aug 21, 2022 | Gotta Serve Somebody

Bob Dylan had a song that was called “You Gotta Serve Somebody.” Some of the lyrics are…”You gotta serve somebody…whether it’s the devil or the Lord…you gotta serve somebody.” Everyone serves somebody. Choose to serve Jesus, not bad masters.

Here are a few of the people or things you may serve:
Devil
Lord
Money
Possessions
Time
Self

Jesus made it clear in Matt. 6:24 that we cannot serve two masters. There can only be one. Even good causes can become idolatry.

Devil:
The devil is the father of lies (Jn. 8:44), who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus came to give life to the full. The devil wants us to shy away from difficult things like giving sacrificially.The devil will even give you good things to distract and destroy you. Put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:11) to stand against the devil, putting your faith in God and his word through prayer, interlocking your shield of faith with other believers. True full and abundant life is service, sacrifice, and doing the will of God.

Money and Possessions:
I Tim. 6:6-10 says that money is the root of all kinds of evil. Possessions are distractions. Some of these are campers and cabins–that can keep you from meeting with the body of Christ on Sundays! What did you worry about when gas prices went higher–that your family vacation would have to be called off or that you wouldn’t have enough money to give to missions? Have a kingdom mindset when you get a raise or prices go down. How do we keep possessions in check? Remember that everything belongs to God and invest in Kingdom things. Think about the Great Commission; give and be generous.

Pleasures and Experiences:
Pleasures and experiences won’t satisfy. There are godly boundaries for food, sex, and pleasures of all types (Phil 3:19-20). Heaven is our home; focus on this and worship Jesus and get in the Word. Then we can love others to Christ.

Time:
Time competes with the lordship of Jesus Christ. It can steal your rest and peace. Who says you have to keep running at an unrealistic pace? This makes an adrenaline junkie and causes addiction, anxiety, and depression. Don’t be a slave to the clock. We have eternity. Slowing down is an act of worship. In the book Leading on Empty, the phrase “The hens have laid, and there are no more eggs” demonstrates this concept. This is why a sabbath rest is SO important (Mark 2:27). Pete Scazzero says the sabbath is a day to delight in life and contemplate God’s goodness. Our value is NOT in our production.

Self:
Self has the potential to be the worst master of all because we can’t leave it anywhere! We need to recognize that we are not God. Existentialism is a philosophy which elevates the individual over everything else. You create who you are. The truth is that we are not the center of the universe. It’s not “all about me.” Jesus created us to be who we are. Our current society wants to toss out Gen. 1:27, which says that we are created in the image of God (the imago Dei). We cannot find our true identity separate from God (Eph. 1:4-6).

“You gotta serve somebody,” so choose to serve Jesus instead of the bad masters. The challenge comes from Matt. 6:24. No one can serve two masters. What is your master, and who are you going to serve?